Frederick William Gaisberg

Frederick William Gaisberg (1 January 1873 – 2 September 1951) was an American musician, recording engineer and one of the earliest classical music producers for the gramophone. He himself did not use the term 'producer', and was not an impresario like his protégé Walter Legge of EMI or an innovator like John Culshaw of Decca. Gaisberg concentrated on talent-scouting and persuading performers to make recordings for the newly invented Gramophone.

Gaisberg began working in the recording industry in America as a young man, becoming a pioneer of early recording, and also worked as piano accompanist for the Berliner Gram-O-Phone Company, the inventors of the practical lateral-groove disc and associated playback apparatus, the Berliner Gramophone. In 1898, he joined the Gramophone Company in England as its first recording engineer. In 1902, he recorded music sung by the tenor Enrico Caruso and the recordings became a sensation. By 1921, Gaisberg was artistic director of HMV's 'international artistes' department. After 1925, he concentrated on artist management. In 1939, he retired from his position but continued as a consultant in the industry through the 1940s.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 1, 1873 (Washington, D.C.), Died September 2, 1951 (Hampstead)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1892 - 1920

Roles Represented in DAHR: recordist, composer, piano

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 76-100 of 1229 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Gramophone 493ac 12-in. 11/27/1912 La patria Emilio Sagi-Barba Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 494½c 12-in. approximately 1905 Le minaccie Ernesto Caronna ; Luigi Colazza Vocal duet (tenor and baritone), with piano recordist  
Gramophone 495ac 12-in. 11/27/1912 Cuento Emilio Sagi-Barba Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 497c 12-in. approximately 1905 Sei vendicata assai Ernesto Caronna Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 500aj 12-in. 9/28/1912 Gloria a chi vince Ernesto Badini ; Giulia Martinengo Vocal duet (mezzo-soprano and baritone), with chorus recordist  
Gramophone 501aj 12-in. 9/28/1912 Suo core un tugurio Ernesto Badini ; Luca Botta ; Giulia Martinengo Vocal trio (mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone), with chorus recordist  
Gramophone 505aj 12-in. 9/28/1912 Sulle arene d'oro Teatro alla Scala Coro Mixed vocal chorus recordist  
Gramophone 508aj 12-in. 9/29/1912 Prendi, quest'e l'immagine Ernesto Badini ; Ebe Boccolini ; Luca Botta Vocal trio (soprano, tenor, and baritone), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 535½c 12-in. ca. 1905 Già l'odio m'abbandona Celestina Boninsegna Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 537f 12-in. ca. Dec. 1905 Voi che sapete Adelina Patti Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone 537c 12-in. approximately 1905 Tacea la notte placida Celestina Boninsegna Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 538f 12-in. ca. Dec. 1905 Pur dicesti Adelina Patti Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone 538c 12-in. 1905, before Oct. Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa Celestina Boninsegna Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 539f 12-in. ca. Dec. 1905 Home, sweet home Adelina Patti Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone 540f 12-in. Dec. 1905 Old folks at home Adelina Patti Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone 541f 12-in. ca. Dec. 1905 Batti, batti, o bel Masetto Adelina Patti Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone 542½c 12-in. 1905 Vien Leonora Francesco Cigada Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 543f 12-in. ca. Dec. 1905 Air des bijoux Adelina Patti Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone 545f 12-in. ca. Dec. 1905 Kathleen Mavourneen Adelina Patti Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone 547f 12-in. ca. Dec. 1905 Ave Maria Adelina Patti ; Landon Ronald Soprano vocal solo, with piano accompaniment and violin obbligato recordist  
Gramophone 548f 12-in. ca. Dec. 1905 La serenata Adelina Patti Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone 549f 12-in. Dec. 1905 Robin Adair Adelina Patti Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone 549c 12-in. approximately 1905 Addio, Mignon Fernando De Lucia Tenor vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone 551f 12-in. ca. Dec. 1905 Si vous n'avez rien à me dire Adelina Patti Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone 552f 12-in. ca. Dec. 1905 Comin 'thro' the rye Adelina Patti Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
(Results 76-100 of 1229 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gaisberg, Frederick William," accessed May 3, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116625.

Gaisberg, Frederick William. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 3, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116625.

"Gaisberg, Frederick William." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 3 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116625

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